Dark of Night Epilogue
by Mai1
Summary: Jack and Ree - post Higher Echelon and the Getaway


Title: Dark of Night - Epilogue  
  
Author: Mai  
  
Email: Maisfeeka@AOL.com  
  
Feedback: Always nice  
  
Distribution: Cover Me. Any others, just let me know, please.  
  
Disclaimer: Alias and its characters do not belong to me. No  
  
copyright infringement is intended here. Ree is mine.  
  
Spoilers: Up through Higher Echelon  
  
Summary: A little post -Higher Echelon Jack and Ree piece  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Classification: AU, Post Ep, OC  
  
A/N: Thanks yet again to Karen T. and Tammy for their  
  
fabulous beta work. :) You ladies rock!  
  
She'd managed to drift off after while -- forcing her mind to settle down. She had to believe that Jack was capable of taking care of himself -- and smart enough to get help if he needed it.  
  
She slept uneasily, a combination of the strange bed and the circumstances. Her dreams were filled with violence -- gun shots, an odd flickering light, running footsteps, the squealing of tires. She curled more tightly into herself, fighting the dream, trying to get free of it.  
  
She awoke sometime later, sensing a presence in the room. She opened her eyes and smiled sleepily. "Jack..."  
  
He didn't answer, just stood there silently with a strange look in his eyes.  
  
Ree realized she wasn't home in her own bed and sat up abruptly as the events of the past day came back to her. "Jack... the CIA. I thought you said..."  
  
"Apparently keeping me alive and out of Kane's hands takes precedence at the moment."  
  
"So... what will you do now?"  
  
"I'll be staying here for the time being -- as will you -- until this... situation... is resolved."  
  
He was quiet again, then reached out despite himself and stroked her cheek, letting his hand linger when she turned her face further into his hand.  
  
Vaughn, who had stepped into the doorway to call to Jack, stood and watched the couple for a moment before silently backing out of the room.  
  
Jack's face softened as he watched Ree's closed eyes and trusting expression, then he pulled his hand back and looked away.  
  
Ree glanced up in surprise. "Jack, what's wrong?"  
  
"I didn't want Sydney involved in this. Or you. And now both of you could be in jeopardy because of my shortcomings." His lips tightened and he turned toward the door. "There are some things I need to check on. You should get some more rest. I'm sorry I disturbed you."  
  
She started to protest, tell him she was fine, but he had already left the room.  
  
The next time she saw Jack was over an hour later. She'd gotten her guard, Daniels, to let her out of the room to stretch her legs. After all, Jack was here now, so the main reason for watching her had gone by the wayside.  
  
She came around the corner and there he was, snapping out orders for information he wanted collected. He saw her as he was finishing up and gestured for her to wait for him.  
  
He came over as soon as he was done. "Ree, I'm glad I found you. Do you have a minute?"  
  
She raised her eyebrows. "I have a lot of minutes right now."  
  
He colored slightly. "Yes, of course. And... I am sorry for that."  
  
"Forget it." She brushed aside his apology. "Not necessary. You wanted me for something?"  
  
A light flickered in the back of his eyes as he thought about some of the things he wanted from her, and it was her turn to blush.  
  
"I meant... oh, never mind, I'll just get myself in deeper," she said with a slightly embarrassed grin. "What did...um... You had something to tell me?"  
  
"Yes," Jack said, sobering quickly. He slipped an arm around her, directing her with his hand in the small of her back to a quiet area along the corridor. "I wanted you to hear it from me first."  
  
When he didn't continue right away she became even more curious. "What is it, Jack? You know you can tell me anything."  
  
"I'm going to be working with Irina -- doing some brainstorming around who might have killed Sloane's wife. I... I imagine we'll be working at it for quite some time."  
  
Ree's breath caught in her chest, and it took her a second before she could respond. "Oh," she said finally. "Well... that's... um..."  
  
"I know it may seem unusual, but --"  
  
"No, no," Ree said, pulling herself together. Surely that hadn't been a flash of jealousy just then? Surely she was beyond that sort of thing? But then again, maybe not. "No," she said again. "It makes sense. She's a different set of eyes, someone who thinks outside the CIA box. And, well, more... devious, which would be a good thing here."  
  
Shut up, Ree, she thought to herself. You're babbling and he's just standing there looking more and more uncomfortable.  
  
And, managing to take her own advice, she forced a smile to her face and stopped talking.  
  
"Well, then... I suppose I had better get to work," he said.  
  
"Oh, of course, of course. Good luck." She held the smile until he was out of sight, then let it go. God, what was wrong with her? She was almost shaking. She'd never thought of herself as the jealous type, but then again, she'd never thought to be in the position of sending her lover off to spend some quality time with his wife. Ex-wife. Estranged wife. The bitch who had betrayed him and torn his heart to shreds.  
  
And whom he had loved more than life itself.  
  
Enough of this, she ordered herself firmly. Find yourself something to do and keep your mind off of it. She looked around and beckoned to the agent assigned to watch her, who'd kept a discrete distance during her conversation with Jack. "Can you take me to Kendall? There's got to be something he can give me to do."  
  
**********  
  
A number of hours later, Ree had completed the scut work Kendall had found for her and read the better part of the mystery novel one of the secretaries had lent her. Daniels had been assigned elsewhere, which was a relief. Not that he wasn't a great guy, just that she hated having someone watching her wherever she went. She closed the novel with a sigh and wandered off to see what Kendall was doing.  
  
Kendall was standing in front of a television monitor, arms crossed and mouth firmly set. Ree looked up to see what he was watching and felt her heart skip a beat. It was Jack and Irina going over the reams of paperwork Jack had collected. They'd clearly just finished some Chinese takeout and the rapport between them was obvious. She felt her heart fall when Irina made some innocuous comment and Jack smiled back at her. She must have made some sort of involuntary sound, because Kendall whirled around and saw her.  
  
"Rhiannon!" He glanced back at the monitor and his obvious desire to find a way to shield her from it made her smile. "I didn't expect -- is there something I can do for you?"  
  
"It's all right, Terry. I knew about this -- even told him it was a good idea."  
  
"You're a better person than I am."  
  
Ree stared at the screen for another few minutes. "I didn't realize it would be so hard," she whispered.  
  
Kendall was watching her with a concerned expression. "Hey, you know what? Let's grab something to eat. Anything you want. I'll send someone out for it."  
  
"Thanks, but I'm not hungry. I think I'll just go back and finish this book." She waved it halfheartedly at him and turned to leave.  
  
He stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Ree, don't let this..." He shook his head, not sure what to say. "Just... don't let it get to you. It doesn't have anything to do with how he feels about you. It's just... they have a long history together."  
  
"I know," she said quietly. "And every instinct I have tells me she's playing on that. She'll use it to suck him in until he believes in her again, lets himself remember the love he felt for her -- and then she'll destroy him and rip his heart out. And there's not a goddamn thing I can do about it except stand here and watch it happen."  
  
"And be there for him afterwards." Kendall replied.  
  
"Oh, I'm not going anywhere," Ree replied with a little of her normal spirit. "Even if it kills me."  
  
**********  
  
She sat in the room where she'd slept earlier, staring at the novel she'd borrowed, and debated whether she should continue her futile attempt to read it or simply fling it across the room. She'd just about decided to give it another try when Jack came into the room. His face looked hard and closed off.  
  
"Jack," she said, feeling as if that had been all she'd managed to say throughout this whole frustrating day.  
  
"I'm going back in," he said with a note of challenge in his voice. "It's the only way I can get the information I need to clear my name before they decide to bring Sydney in for questioning."  
  
She felt as if all the blood was draining out of her head. "They'll kill you if you're caught."  
  
He didn't insult her by trying to deny it. "I know. But Ree, if I can get this information. I can clear myself and things will return to normal. Or as normal as they can be under the circumstances."  
  
"Jack... if anything happens to you..." The panic was spreading inside her, making it hard for her to catch her breath. "Go," she said finally. "Go now before I beg you to stay." She didn't even trust herself to touch him, for fear she'd cling to him and be unable to let go.  
  
He nodded, understanding her pain, and left the room quickly.  
  
She gave into the urge she'd been fighting and flung the book across the room.  
  
*********  
  
She didn't know how long she'd waited for word, how many times she'd paced the length of the room, trying desperately to maintain some semblance of control. She tried not to think about what she would do if he died. This time there would be no dreams to pull her out of her misery. There wouldn't be another chance for her -- she'd never dare to give her heart so completely again. When Kendall entered the room, she all but threw herself at him, needing the information he brought, but terrified of what he might say.  
  
"He's all right, Ree. He's coming in now."  
  
Her legs went out from under her and she barely managed to get herself to a chair before she collapsed. "Thank God," she said under her breath. "Thank God, thank God, thank God."  
  
Kendall crossed the room and crouched down beside her. "You okay?"  
  
She nodded weakly, "I'll be fine. Just please, tell me what happened."  
  
"It was a close call. He got the information and sent it to Sloane, but not before Kane had him injected with sodium pentothal. Luckily, Sloane got to him before the drug had a chance to fully take effect. But everything's okay. He's safe -- a little shaken, but fine -- and he'll be here shortly."  
  
"I want to see him. Is there some way I can see him when he comes in -- without a million people around?"  
  
"I'll take you there myself."  
  
********** Hers was the first face he saw when he got out of his car. She went directly into his arms and held on for dear life. He buried his face in her hair, holding her so tightly that he couldn't tell where he left off and she began.  
  
"You're safe," she said over and over again.  
  
He held her until they both stopped shaking, then kissed her lightly and stepped away. He nodded to Kendall. "Thank you."  
  
"Not a problem. But I think we'd better head back in now."  
  
"Of course."  
  
Once inside, Ree was left to her own devices while Jack went to debrief. She again attempted to read the much-abused novel she'd borrowed, and made a mental note to buy a new copy for the secretary. She gave up after her hundredth try and ventured out of the room again.  
  
She was surprised to see Agent Vaughn. "I didn't know you were back. How did... everything go?"  
  
He grimaced. "Not as smoothly as we'd hoped, but... we all got back safely. Actually, I didn't expect to see you still here."  
  
"I'm just waiting for Jack to finish up. Do you happen to know where he might be?"  
  
Vaughn's eyes shifted away nervously. "Uh... I'm not really sure, Ms. Ash, but --"  
  
She looked at him sharply. "What is it?" She shook her head ruefully when he hesitated. "You're really not a very good liar, Mr. Vaughn." And suddenly she knew. She made her way to the monitors, with Vaughn trailing helplessly behind.  
  
Jack was talking with Irina. Smiling at her. Ree felt that uncontrollable surge of jealousy well up in her again. She turned away. "Do you think you could give me a ride home, Mr. Vaughn?"  
  
"I thought you were waiting for..." he gestured to the screen.  
  
"No. I just want to go home... please... if it wouldn't be too much trouble."  
  
"Oh no, no trouble. I was just about ready to head out anyway. But, Ms. Ash -- Ree?"  
  
She looked up and met his eyes. "Yes?"  
  
"That... she... doesn't mean anything," he said intensely. "Not really. I've seen him with you, the way he is with you." He gestured to the monitor. "That can't begin to compare with it."  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Vaughn. But she is... was... is his wife."  
  
Vaughn looked at her with concern. "I just --"  
  
"Don't worry," she said with a half smile. "I don't intend to just let him go without a fight. I'm in here for the long haul. But for now, I'd just like to go home to my own bed. It's been a very long day."  
  
"Of course. Just come with me while I get my things."  
  
Ree started down the corridor after him, then turned and took one last look at Irina Derevko.  
  
When you betray him this time, she thought, you'd better hope someone else gets to you before me. Because if I get my hands on you... Her face hardened at the thought. Then she took a deep breath and went after Vaughn.  
  
**********  
  
The End 


End file.
